From the Sidelines

Shopping for Boys!!

Shopping for boys is easier than you might think.  Although it may seem that boys don’t care about clothes or fashion, they do!  They might not demand a new outfit for every occasion like girls, but they do like to look cool, and most have a look of their own.  Granted, this “look” might be their “favorite” dino t with shorts every day, or anything with their favorite baseball cap, but still it reflects how they want to be seen.  Boys tend to have fewer clothes than girls, but they do have favorites and there are always those items they just won’t wear, no matter what!

My two guys definitely have a style of their own.  My youngest likes a clean preppy look.  Polos, madras shorts, cargo's, sports t’s and shoes, shoes, shoes!!  My oldest always has a favorite of the month, and once he has a favorite, it’s that or nothing!  He jumps from birds of prey to dinosaurs, space or rock n roll and then back to solids.  Seriously, everything one color...shorts, shirts, shoes, hats.... all blue or all green, or whatever color he happens to be into at the moment.  Always an adventure.

The nice thing is that there are now stores with boys as their focus rather than an after thought.  My favorite, of course, is www.red21boys.com.  I can shop for both of my boys in one stop- they can both find new favorites, even with their diverse styles.  As a mom, I love the customer service, easy return policy but most of all, the quality!  My boys play hard and their clothes need to be durable and easy care.  We have shopped at the discount stores for summer clothes and honestly, they can usually find something they like.  The problem comes after they have worn the shirts several times and the shirts have been laundered.  The colors start to fade, the fabric loses its body, and before you know it, the shirts look old.  The discount store t-shirts are less expensive than Wes and Willy,City College, red21boys or Charlie Rocket, but you are lucky if you get a whole summer out of them.  I am finding if you shop carefully and watch the sales, you can do much better buying the high quality shirts.  They look fresh and new even after one child outgrows it ~ perfect for little brothers to share! 

I do have a couple little tips for you.  For one, if you sign up for the weekly email, you get to cash in on some major savings!  Sometimes the sales are for email members only!
Another thing to keep in mind if you are a first time shopper, is that the clothes tend to run a little big, so if you are in between sizes, go smaller!

Last but not least, shop often so you don't miss out on cool new styles.  It seems that every week or so, they get new inventory.  Some are exclusive to red21boys.com!  I think that is awesome!  We love the red21boys style!

So happy shopping, enjoy your summer and your boys!!

College World Series!!

Well it's June in Omaha which can only mean one thing...the College World Series!! My son is addicted to the sport and is really quite talented, so it's a favorite part of our summer.  Here is a link to the schedule http://www.cwsomaha.com/index.php?Itemid=159&id=58081&option=com_content&task=view.   For more details on the teams, we did a little research.   It is always so exciting to have all of these great baseball fans descend on Omaha.  It's like one huge party everywhere you go!  The fans have a very positive attitude - they are here for their home teams, but enjoy all the talent on the field and are always courteous and respectful.  They'll even welcome you to their side of the street and their tail gate parties. It's really nice to share this experience with young boys who seem to think that winning is everything!

There are a few  places you really have to go when you are here for the series, like Zesto's and the Fan Fest.  The Fan Fest is full of fun, family friendly events for kids of all ages and Zesto's is all about ice cream! The food here is awesome and there is so much to do and see. There are quiet little neighborhood restaurants as well as the hot spots downtown in the Old Market .  No one is left out- there is truly something for everyone! 

When we pack up and head to the stadium, it's a given that my guys will want to wear their favorite baseball shirts from red21boys.com. Luckily, we have a few different styles, so they have lots of Wes and Willy choices!   Maybe on Sunday, they'll wear their My Dad Rocks t's for Father's Day!

So, we are off to Rosenblatt for another day of hot dogs, autographs and if we get lucky, maybe even a foul ball!  So get the shorts and t-shirts out and enjoy your summer!  There are lots of fun things to do in your neighborhood too! (and don't miss out on all the great deals at http://www.red21boys.com/default.aspx!!)

Boys play hard! 

It's almost Memorial Day and time for summer fun!

  Right about now, my guys start playing in the driveway almost every day after school and boy do they play hard! They dig out the athletic gear~ shorts, pants, t-shirts and they don't come in until it gets dark.  My youngest son is all pumped up for baseball tournaments.  He has been researching spring training and dreams of the day he'll  make the trip to Arizona.  Well, it's his dream anyway!  He spends hours throwing and catching the baseball.  I have no idea why he doesn't get bored or tired of this, but it's great watching his dedication and innovation!  He blew a hole threw his pitching net and has resorted to re-creating his soccer goal for pitching practice! 

You should've seen the mini-golf course they "created"!!  It was complete with a water hazard, sand trap and many little holes in the yard!!

And true to form, my boys want their clothes to reflect their "style" and favorite sports.  They love the rock and roll themes, dogs, and hot new swim trunks.  The American flag trunks are going to be awesome for the 4th of July!!  Better order mine soon so I don't miss out!

I have discovered that www.red21boys.com has all the styles they want... at prices a mom can love!  When you have a house full of boys who pay hard, love sports and insist on their "own look", what more you could you ask??

Bikes, Boys and Bargains!

It's March and spring is here..time to break out the bikes.  We had a few warm days and my boys wanted to get their bikes out of the garage, which was a feat in itself.  We had to dig behind the rakes and shovels, snowblowers and sleds, but there they were.... ready for the spring sunshine. 

My oldest has a cool blue Schwinn and my youngest has a red Huffy.  They fight about who has the coolest bike, but this year they have both grown and I think this will mean we need to go shopping.  I don't know why I was surprised.  We have had to visit the red21 website for new shorts, t-shirts and hoodies...why not new bikes!  Why is it so much easier to buy new boys clothes than it is to buy a bike??  There are so many choices and so many brands!  And... they are so expensive!  So, I told my boys that obviously, the youngest  would get the Schwinn and my oldest would get the new bike..only logical, but was it fair?  I told him he had to "earn" his new bike.  And he, of course, said, how?   His job was to sell the Huffy.  Now, the Huffy has been through both boys and their older cousin.. the bike is no big prize, so I thought I had a few weeks before I had to really start thinking about this.  They went out for their ride in the park and came back ready for their project.  They washed the bike and put it out in front of the house with a "For Sale" sign.  My younger son went in to play games, but my older son, the one with the incentive, sat on the porch waiting for a buyer. Well....ok, we grown ups know it doesn't quite work like that, but he was determined.  I told him to come in, that it could be at least a few days before he sold the bike ( assuming he COULD sell it!).  And still he wouldn't budge.  He did pop in for a sweatshirt and a sandwich, but otherwise he sat and sat and sat.  After awhile a dad and his son stopped.  They looked at the bike!  The little boy rode it, fell off, but he rode it.  I have no idea how he pulled it off, but somehow, my son sold the bike!!! To his first and only customer!!

So, next weekend we are going shopping I guess. I am sure you'll have more fun getting ready for spring and summer shopping for cool new boys clothes at www.redboys.com than I will shopping for a bike, but I DID promise!

Check THIS out! http://www.socialgracious.com/social_gracious/2009/03/growing-up-on-two-wheels.html

Have fun and play hard!!

Here's Comes the Sun!!

True to form, it's March and we are all thinking spring!  The days are getting longer, it's a little warmer and when it does snow, it melts faster!  We had five or six inches of snow on Friday and it's almost gone today- that is awesome!

My boys play Little League baseball.  This year they are old enough to actually pitch to each other.  This ought to be a treat! Games could last for hours now....  But, I've found some amazing information at http://www.littleleague.org/Little_League_Online.htm.  There is information for parents, regional news, tournament news for the serious teams and fun stuff for the boys.  It's fun to watch them interact as a team and grow as individuals.  They love their uniforms- I think they feel like little allstars when they have their "official" t-shirts on.  Very cute and makes all the time invested worthwhile.  Practice will be starting soon and there are sure to be some great stories to tell.

And as we start to dig out our baseball pants from last summer, we also remember we need our other boys clothes.  There are always favorites, but it's time to start thinking about refreshing the wardrobe with some new shorts and t-shirts.  The newest trends are plaids, peace signs and the good ol' red, white and blue patriotic look.  Red21boys looks like they are stocking up on lots of great styles for spring and summer.  My kids love the big boy style and when they love the style and feel of the clothes, they actually want to wear what I buy!! What a nice change.

So don't miss out on the sales always available at www.red21boys.com.  I promise this will make your life easier.

 Doesn't matter if you like sports, riding bikes, or playing in the park.  Get out and play hard!!

We all Have Special Needs

Happy Friday! 

Last week we received an inspiring video clip from a happy customer and it reminded me of all of the special needs kids who struggle with "something to wear!"

Some of our favorite customers sent a note commenting on the  Wes and Willy Einstein t-shirt we sent.  Their son is autistic and besides all of the other challenges they face, they also have to find comfortable boys clothing that is easy to put on and take off.  Boys love the elastic waist cargo pants at Red21boys.com.  The fit is loose, the style is hot and the elastic waists are easy on/ easy off ~ perfect for kids who struggle with small buttons and zippers. (and honestly, LOTS of boys face this same struggle!) There are cool elastic waist pants  and tops to match ~ don't miss the jeans, athletic pants and shorts in comfortable cotton twill, denim and fleece. The t-shirts are 100% cotton and the designs are the newest looks from the leaders in boys fashion. It's nice to be able to make life a little easier for a family that already faces so many challenges.

Watch for new spring shorts and swimwear!

Read the note and watch the video.  It made me smile!

"Thanks so, so much for the "Einstein" t-shirt -- he's one of our favorite autistic role models! We love Wes and Willy clothing and will continue to wear with great pride!
Mary and Abram Ritchie "

 

http://sharing.theflip.com/session/58be777132e749012ce4595b105e2c33/video/2986726

Ground Hog day!

 Ground Hog Day is just around the corner!

Will Phil see his shadow?  Will spring come early? Or will winter just drag on and on?

Last saturday I came home from grocery shopping  and found my boys in front of the television again, (or should I say still!?!?) in their favorite boys clothes ~ Wes and Willy flannel lounge pants and thermal tops.  Boys love the easy fit and soft fabric- it's almost impossible to get them into real clothes!   They looked cute, but they were semi-comotose and seriously needed a project!

February 2 is Ground Hog Day.  We didn't really know much about the history of the day or what happens in Punxsutawney, PA, or anywhere in the world, so we hit the computer and started the research.

You might wonder how I got my young guys interested enough to join me in the search for information.  Well, for one, they have a guinea pig that they love dearly, and groundhogs look similar to a guinea pig.  They also loved the movie and were interested in the mystery of how this tradition ever came about.  We had a lot of fun and learned all sorts of intersting information.  Did you know that people all around the world rely on the ground hog for their predicition of spring?  Did you know there is a website where you can watch a live stream of Wiarton Wille ? ( He is Canada's version of Phil)  I added a link to his site!  There are lots of fun facts about the history and tradition of ground Hog day and games too!

So take a little time together, make some cocoa and explore some of these interesting and funny websites!

Red21boys ~ clothes for boys who play hard!

http://www.groundhog.org/

http://wilstar.com/holidays/grndhog.htm

http://www.surfnetkids.com/groundhogday.htm

 

 

 

 

 

Shopping for Boys

We've all sat on the sidelines and watched our kids play any number of sports.  Whether it's baseball, basketball, football or soccer, we've seen them learn and grow, excel and even fail.  What I have found at red21boys.com is that they never fail to give you the very best service and quality available when it comes to buying great clothes for boys.  I have been shopping here for awhile and wonder if any of you have any experiences you'd like to share.  I have two boys and shopping for boys clothing is always a challenge.  One is very preppy and perfect and the other is a skater.  He likes the wild side of fashion.  It can make shopping for boys clothes a challenge!  The great thing is that if something doesn't work out, you can always exchange or return at red21boys.com and they even cover return shipping!( of course who would want to return???) There always seems to be a great sale and you can't beat the award winning style and durability of Wes and Willy, the leader in boys clothing!  I haven't found any where better on the web.

I'll keep this short for now.  Please let me know what you think of the red21boys store, any ideas you have or experiences you want to share.   Send photos anytime!  We'd love to hear from you!

Happy Friday!

(image courtesy of Merrifield Photography and Red 21 Boys Clothes) 

TGIF everybody! Gotta swing by and wish you all some Happy Holiday Shopping. Whew! I'm trying to get ahead of the game this year and do my Holiday shopping early online. This year there are some boys clothes, probably a book or two, along with about a truck load of the boys' fav candies and treats.

My first stop is for boys clothes at Red 21 boys clothing. I got an email from them and it looks like things are double awesome for shopping there today! Red 21 boys is giving double holiday shopping rewards with 15% Off you entire order along with special customer holiday rewards.

The holiday rewards from Red 21 Boys clothing is a pretty cool program. Red 21 boys will total up the total value of your purchases from this year and then you get a special discount based on the total. Pretty cool! So you could save up to 25% on your favorite holiday boys clothing gifts and get an additional 15% off your entire boys clothing order anyway!

Hooray for Fridays! And hooray for boys clothes savings from Red 21 boys!
Now if you'll excuse me, I have some serious shopping to do!

Have Fun. Play Hard.

Hey!

(image courtesy of Red 21 Boys and Merrifield Photography)

Psssst. . . read the photo. :-) Today's the last day to score big at Red 21 Boys clothing. Don't get me wrong dudes, you can always score cool boys clothes at Red 21 boys. But today is the last day that you can grab the coolest clothes for boys, and save 20% off everything while you're at it! Head on over to Red 21 Boys clothing while you've still got time!

Have Fun. Play Hard.